Azerbaijan's achievements in foreign policy dev't - personal merits of President Ilham Aliyev, says dep. director general of TASS

By Trend

Azerbaijan's achievements in development of foreign policy are personal merits of President Ilham Aliyev, First Deputy Director General of the Russian TASS news agency Mikhail Gusman told Trend.

"Looking back, one can see how turbulent the outgoing year was and how many challenges it presented. The world has become more unsettling, and, unfortunately, the South Caucasus is no exception. A leader's role becomes more crucial in situations where the world is facing numerous challenges. It's very important to navigate your ship amidst the most difficult reefs of political dangers. Today we can say that President Ilham Aliyev, as the captain of this beautiful ship titled the 'Azerbaijani Republic', is confidently navigating through hazardous reefs," he said.

Gusman stressed that Azerbaijan, a country with a prosperous economy, is respected worldwide, and the foreign countries have great trust in it.

"Azerbaijan is the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and President Ilham Aliyev, chairman of this organization, has repeatedly spoken of the country's role in the modern world, outlined the significance of cooperation, mutual understanding, and achievement of joint decisions. Azerbaijan is a multinational country and multiculturalism, proclaimed by President Ilham Aliyev, is not just a political slogan, these are the roots of the tolerant Azerbaijani people. The country has always had interethnic and interreligious peace as the basis of both ancient and modern Azerbaijani society. Therefore, the role of the president as a guarantor of the country's flourishing development is extremely big. In my opinion, President Ilham Aliyev is coping with this task most successfully," he added.

As Gusman noted, from the outset of the presidential activity, Ilham Aliyev actively pursued a multifaceted foreign policy, particularly in its economic section.

"First of all, it must be said about the year-by-year developing economic ties between Azerbaijan and Russia. There are lots of joint projects between the two countries, and bilateral ally relations were secured by the agreement of February 22, 2022. In the meantime, Azerbaijan feels confident in the European direction as well. President Ilham Aliyev's numerous meetings with the European leaders testifies to Azerbaijan's respect in the European community. Azerbaijan’s ties with fraternal Türkiye and relations between the two leaders should also be mentioned. This list can be continued further, as Azerbaijan is improving its relations in all directions – Asia, Latin America, and in the Middle East," he stated.

Speaking of the reconstruction work in Azerbaijan's Karabakh and East Zangazur Economic Regions, Gusman emphasized that the recovery of liberated land is the focal point of President Ilham Aliyev following the victorious end of the 2020 second Karabakh war.

"Huge funds and technological capabilities have been engaged in there. Azerbaijan is doing everything to attract foreign investors worldwide to Karabakh projects. Representatives of the leading companies and corporations from various countries have visited the liberated territories as well. The president says that the country's liberated territories, in the foreseeable future, should become an example of how the ancestral lands of Azerbaijan can and should develop step by step,” he added